ArtsQuest marketing director leaves job

Kim Plyler held post nearly five years. Musikfest parent officials have no comment.

November 11, 2009|By John J. Moser OF THE MORNING CALL

Kim Plyler, director of marketing and public relations for nearly five years at ArtsQuest, the parent of Bethlehem's Musikfest, abruptly left her position Monday, she and ArtsQuest officials confirmed.

Plyler, of Bethlehem, was responsible for marketing, advertising, promotions and public relations campaigns and programs for events and activities, including Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt.

Reached by telephone Tuesday, Plyler declined to say whether the decision to leave was hers. But she said she is in contract negotiations for a position with another organization that she declined to identify.

"It was time to move on," she said. "I really enjoyed the five years I spent with ArtsQuest. It's a fabulous organization. They do great things there and I'll always cherish the time I had there."

She said she discussed the matter with her family and hopes to spend more time "and do more things" with her young son.

ArtsQuest President Jeffrey Parks referred questions to Kassie Hilgert, ArtsQuest's vice president for advancement. Hilgert said, "Our employment relationship with Kim ended Nov. 9," and declined to answer any other questions about the matter.

The abruptness with which Plyler left was reflected in the fact that her telephone voice mail at ArtsQuest contained her message, and the message for assistant editorial services director Mark Demko still referred callers to Plyler.

Asked whether Plyler's position would be filled, Hilgert said, "We are going to look at the current and future needs of the organization to determine the best timing and structure for bringing on new staff."

ArtsQuest is starting a massive growth program that will add the planned $17.2 million SteelStacks performing arts center and three surrounding plazas, as well as a future outdoor stage that Parks has said will bring 400 more concerts of local, regional, national and international talent to Bethlehem, giving the organization a yearly slate of more than 1,000 concerts.

SteelStacks alone will schedule concerts 280 days a year when it opens in May 2011, according to Parks, and the plazas will bring 400,000 paid attendees -- and a "significantly greater" number for free concerts -- each year.

The planned ArtsQuest Festival Center will have seating for 8,000 -- more than Musikfest's present RiverPlace main stage.

Plyler joined ArtsQuest in early 2005. She previously was assistant director of university communications at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, and before that was public affairs director for the Navy's Chief Information Office in Washington, D.C. She began her career as a journalist in the Navy, reporting on military affairs at home and abroad, including the Gulf War.